Additional lights.

[N80]

Anyone know whats involved with adding a work light to the L4400? I think Kubota may have it as an option. Wondering how hard it is to install myself?

Also, I've noticed that with an FEL the front headlights are not effective unless the bucket is high enough (which can block you view) or very low down. It occured to me that a couple of offroad type lights on the ROPS would be quite handy. I wonder how hard it would be to add something like that.

By the way, I'm not particularly gifted when it comes to electronics.

 

[thatguy]

IM sure someone else will chime in with additional thoughts.. But I do remember from a post months ago that someone mentioned that they had mounted lights on their ROPS, but didnt really like it aftward because of the bugs it attracted around your head in the summer..

good luck

 

[escavader]

GEORGE,
I am in the process of building a light bar to attach to the rops of my KUBOTA that will fit any KUBOTA,and can be removed in under say 2 minutes.Iwas gonna post this week with pics .Iam going to have two forward lights and one rear facing light,with toggles installed in the light bar itself.My design requires no rops drilling or welding on them.I think you will like it,its easy,and you can put as many as you want on it,andits not all that difficult.Give me a couple days in the painting process RIGHT NOW
A quick parts list
2ftmetal pipe
2-4inch muffler clamps [MODIFIED]
toggle switch
wire
wire grommets[to prevent wire chaffing
light
fuse holder

TOOLS NEEDED:
DRILL...BITS
SAWZALL GRINDER OR FILE
WELDER[TO WELD LIGHT BRACKETTS ON PIPE...YOU MIGHT ATTACH ANOTHER WAY

iM DOING THIS SO IF I TRADE UP I CAN KEEP MY LIGHTS AND THIS TRACTOR DOESNT HAVE WELDS OR HOLES IN THE ROPS.Will post soon
ALAN

 

[N80]

Can't wait to see the pics! Sounds like a great idea. I guess my biggest concern is how to wire it to the tractor. I can remember in the old days installing a radio in my old '77 Jeep Cherokee (tough piece of junk) and just folding the power wire over the fuse contact and pushing it back into the fusebox!

I had not thought about bugs in the summertime, but this will be mostly for deer season. I don't have a 4 wheeler and my tractor will be used to haul deer out at night. The stock headlights are okay but a little more light and a work light would still be nice.

 

[DK35vince]

George,
This is a picture of the lights I added to my machine.
Truck/tractor lights from Wal-Mart. Around $12 each if I remember correctly and they work quite well.

 

[N80]

Cool. How did you wire them in?

 

[InlineDieselFan]

DK35vince,

nice light set up I not bashing you, but don't they kind of 'blind' when you look to the left or right? can the lower ones be aimed at the 3-point?

My thought and I could be totally wrong, wouldn't they be better suited in front of your head. Then I suppose the back of the light may create blind spots also.

In either case how did you wire them things up?

steve

 

[escavader]

When we haul deer out at night,lights arent a good thing /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gifWill get this project done some time this weekIts local fair week,and the kids got itchy feet.not to mention my wallet getting thinner.
I VE read this an aux wire under the seat,hope to find it,dont want these lights on with reg ones,got a small alternater,but thats another subject.
ALAN

 

[LBrown59]

<<
Here are some thoughts I've been kicking around concerning lights on rops.
1. Use two lights rather than 4 lights. Mount them on a light bar that will swivel the lights up and down. I install the lights on the bar in a manner that will permit the lights to be rotated 360 degrees. The 360 degrees allows you to have light to the rear and front or both to the front or both to the rear.
Use magnets to mount the brackets for the light bar to the top rear edge of the rops instead of on top of the rops or under the top of the rops. Next bolt the ends of the light bar to the brackets with one bolt through each bracket into the bar.
Tighten the bolts just enough to hold the bar in place but loose enough to move it by hand. The swiveling light bar allows:
(A) Allows adjustment of the distance the lights shine out from the tractor.
(B) Gives more clearance above the lights and more head room under them.
(C) Lessens the chance of catching the lights on something overhead.
(D) Allows the lights to flip down if hit rather than breaking them.
(E) You can just flip the lights down to work under low hanging branches instead of having to remove them from the rops. However you still have the option of removing the bar and lights and unplugging the trailer connector.
*Advantages of the 360 degree rotation *
(A) Permits two lights instead of requiring 4 lights, thus reducing current flow.
(B) Lights can be turned both to front or both to rear. Or they can be turned one to front and one to rear. They can also be used for side lighting. Swiveling lights can provide illumination 360 degrees around the tractor.

Adjustment from one position to another is instant by hand. No wrenches or tools required.
A low profile light preferred over high profile lights.

I've been using this system of combining a rotating light bar with swivel mounted lights to install fog and driving lights on my pickups successfully for years.

More thoughts on lights.
Use a dual direction light with a clear lens on both sides that will cast light to the front and rear at the same time.

Thinking about experimenting with a hanging swing light magnetically attached to the cross member of the FEL to illuminate the bucket shadow when using the head lights.

L.B.

>>

 

[flakrat]

I looked under the brake lights on my L2800 and there's an empty Black and an empty Yellow wire under each brake light.

I wonder if those could be used to power the lights?

I noticed the headlight problem the first evening I drove my tractor. The headlights are nice and bright, but unfortunately don't have supermans' ability to shine thru the steel of the FEL.